Bus lane congestion

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Published:09:37Friday 08 December 2017

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From: Derrick Coffee

County Officer, Campaign for Better Transport – East Sussex

Re: Herald piece ‘Bus lanes to be introduced in town centre’, and letter ‘Pollution is close to home’, the one would certainly reduce the problem described in the other!

Bus lanes can reduce congestion and can also be a hugely more efficient use of road space than low or single occupancy cars that make up much of the daily two-way tides of traffic to the great detriment of school children’s freedom to make their way to school, pedestrians and cyclists in general – and air quality.

Brighton buses carry 45 per cent of people travelling into Brighton on the A259 bus lanes in the morning peak, but make up just 2 per cent of the traffic.

Bus lanes and buses bust congestion.

We welcome the proposals and, acting in concert with the measures already proposed for the A22 Hailsham – Polegate – Eastbourne corridor, we might just get a little closer to the public transport service, and cycle and pedestrian network, that Eastbourne needs and deserves.

It should be remembered that the benefits of the bus lanes will be felt by those travelling in and out of town from Heathfield, Uckfield and Herstmonceux.

What we certainly do not need is more traffic, and all the while that past and present MPs, and car friendly councillors, shout about the unjustified need for a costly and destructive new A27, all the improvements in healthy and clean sustainable alternatives – walking, cycling buses and trains, and health improvement itself – will potentially be undermined.

It is certainly also unhelpful for The Herald (and some elected members) to maintain the ‘Diesel Alley’ label when referring to buses in Terminus Road.

The newer buses emit less in harmful emissions than most saloon cars, thanks to ever improving standards.

The bigger problem has always been emissions from a daily tide of car commuting within Eastbourne which has the highest proportion of car trips to work from within its own boundaries of any Sussex coastal town. Bus lanes: yes please and soon.

A loud endorsement for the bus lanes and other proposals from the Borough Council and Health and Wellbeing Board is now needed!